Our Staff

Curt Wollan // Executive Producer & Director

“If you don’t find something you like to do, you’ll have to work the rest of your life.”

Curt is the President and Executive Producer / Director for Troupe America, Inc. He graduated from Luther College with a degree in Speech and Theater with an emphasis in Directing and went on to receive a M.F.A. in Directing from the University of Iowa.

In past seasons, Curt directed the national tours of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE 1940’S RADIO HOUR, MR. PICKWICK’S CHRISTMAS, BIG RIVER, PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES, DRIVING MISS DAISY, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, OIL CITY SYMPHONY, ON GOLDEN POND and Stephen King’s GHOST STORIES. He produced three national tours of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY with Big League Theatricals of New York, three tours of Dylan Thomas’ A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES, five tours of Victor Herbert’s classic, BABES IN TOYLAND and the world premier tour of SCHOOLHOUSE LIVE! Based on ABC’s Emmy Award winning cartoon series. He also directed the national tour of THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI with the Lamb’s Theater Company in New York, THE ODD COUPLE (starring Jamie Farr and William Christopher), MOON OVER BUFFALO (starring Gavin MacLeod), HANK WILLIAMS: LOST HIGHWAY (starring Jason Petty), THE SUNSHINE BOYS (starring Dick Van Patten and Frank Gorshin), SAME TIME NEXT YEAR (starring Mackenzie Phillips and Adrian Zmed) and COTTON PATCH GOSPEL (starring Gary Sandy) at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

In the Twin Cities area, Mr. Wollan’s productions have been seen at the Theatre-in-the-Round, Chimera Theater Company, Children’s Theater Company, and the Venetian Playhouse. Since 1979, his work has been seen most frequently at the Plymouth Playhouse where he produced and directed such long-running hits as A DAY IN HOLLYWOOD / A NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE, PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES, DIAMOND STUDS, A CLOSER WALK WITH PATSY CLINE, COTTON PATCH GOSPEL, the regional premier production of NUNSENSE, HOW TO TALK MINNESOTAN THE MUSICAL, I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, RING OF FIRE: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH, and CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES and its four sequels.

Mr. Wollan is the recipient of the Twin Cities Drama Critics Circle “Kudos” Award in Directing and is listed in Who’s Who in America and American Entertainment.??Mr. Wollan is also the Executive Producer/Director of StageWest Entertainment, Inc. [StageWest ] and the Summer Hit, The Medora Musical [Medora Musical] and [www.medora.com].

John Tsafoyannis // Managing Director

John is an MFA recipient from the U of Minnesota, he has been working as Troupe America’s General Manager since 1987. He has served as Artistic Director for the Sunshine Dinner Theater in Illinois, as well as a free lance director in Chicago, Madison, and Minneapolis. Directing credits include: A Little Night Music( Court Theatre),, Candide (Court Theatre), Knock-Knock (Chimera Theatre), School For Wives (Theatre In the Round), The Sound Of Music (Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse), South Pacific,(Sunshine Dinner Theatre) Mr. Pickwick’s Stories Of A Christmas Evening (Troupe America’s national tours), The Odd Couple (Sunshine Dinner Theatre), Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? (Appleton Dinner Theatre), The Legendary Stardust Boys (Chimera Theatre) and The Fantasticks (Troupe America’s national tour).

Tricia Hofeld // Production Manager

Tricia Hofeld is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato with her B.S. in Theatrical Production with an emphasis in Stage Management and worked on over 50 shows in her four years there. She is proud to be a part of Troupe America’ production staff for the last seven years with such shows as Church Basement Ladies, How to Talk Minnesotan The Musical, The Marvelous Wonderettes and the national tours of Miracle on 34th Street and Ring of Fire. As the Production Stage Manager for the Medora Musical in 2006 and returning as the Assistant Production Manager in 2013, she is excited to begin her new position as Troupe America’s Production Manager. She has worked locally for Mixed Blood Theatre, The Mechanical Division, and has been part of the local crews for The Guthrie’s Ah Wilderness, The Children’s Theatre’s Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Tom Petty, and Def Leppard. Occasionally, she works with a few different military organizations, namely her grandpa’s WWII unit the First Special Service Force.

Daniel Herman // Production Stage Manager

Dan is in his 18th year as Production Stage Manager for the Plymouth Playhouse. A graduate of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Dan worked as Stage Manager with the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and the North Carolina Brevard Music Center followed by a tour as Prop Master with the Acting Company founded by John Houseman. Returning to the Twin Cities, he became Production Stage Manager for Brass Tacks Theatre and also worked for Mixed Blood Theatre, The Southern Theater and the Mystery Café as Stage Manager and Prop Master. Dan has five boys with his wife Shannon.

Ryan Thorsen // Box Office Manager

Ryan Thorsen is a local actor, writer and theatre enthusiast who is thrilled to be working with Troupe America at the Plymouth Playhouse. He graduated from Minnesota State University in Mankato with Bachelor’s degrees in Theatre and English. He hails from Northfield, MN and currently lives in Minneapolis.

Kaylene Ruwart // Assistant Manager

Kaylene is a graduate of Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and has spent much of her life pursuing the arts, be it theatre, music, design, film, literature, or illustration and fine arts.